Japanese drums stolen from taiko educator

Thursday

Oct 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Authorities are investigating a case of grand theft after thieves stole a trailer containing tens of thousands of dollars' worth of Japanese drums from a Victory Park home early Wednesday morning, police said.

The Record

STOCKTON - Authorities are investigating a case of grand theft after thieves stole a trailer containing tens of thousands of dollars worth of Japanese drums from a Victory Park home early Wednesday morning, police said.

The theft occurred between 5:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. in the 1200 block of Yale Avenue, said Earle Fox, 60, who owns the drums. Fox was inside his home when someone stole a 2008 Wells Cargo trailer from his driveway. Inside the trailer were 17 drums worth between $50,000 and $100,000, Fox said.

The trailer has Japanese writing and dragon decals on both sides, Fox said. The license plate number is TAIKOFX.

Fox said he has owned most of the drums for 10 to 15 years. The retired elementary school teacher now leads after-school programs teaching taiko, a Japanese word for drums, to students at Bear Creek and Lincoln high schools, Primary Years Academy and El Dorado School, where he taught for 17 years. Fox said his taiko students have performed at a number of community events over the years.

"I'm very disappointed in the people who decided they had so steal the equipment," Fox said. "I'm still stunned. This is going to deprive hundreds of kids."